Johor Customs Dept foils attempt to smuggle alcohol worth RM5.16m
ISKANDAR PUTERI, March 30 — The Johor Customs Department crippled an alcohol smuggling syndicate after untaxed beverages of various brands worth RM5.16 million were seized in Port Klang, Selangor early this month.
Johor Customs Department director Misbahudin Parmin said the contraband beverages that were hidden inside eight containers were seized on March 3 and later transported back to the Sungai Pulai Marine Customs Enforcement Division here as evidence.
Misbahudin said the syndicate’s attempt to illegally bring in the untaxed alcohol was foiled based on information provided from intelligence gathering.
“Further checks revealed that the syndicate members had falsely declared the contraband beverages as machine spare parts in the Customs Department Form 1 document to avoid being detected.
“The syndicate’s modus operandi was to falsely declare the contraband to avoid being charged the high import duties,” he told reporters at the Sungai Pulai Customs Department Enforcement Complex here today.
Misbahudin said the estimated value of the seized alcoholic beverages was RM922,000, while the total duties and taxes involved were worth more than RM4.16 million.
He said the eight seized containers are estimated to be worth RM80,000, making the total amount seized at about RM5.16 million.
Misbahudin said there were no arrests made and the case was investigated under Section 135(1)(a) of the Customs Act 1967 for the importation of prohibited goods.
“Under the act, offenders can be fined not less than 10 times the value of the goods seized or RM100,000, whichever is higher or imprisonment of not less than six months or both.
